BUDGET DEBATE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 44, 20 August 1913, Page 3

BUDGET DEBATE

DISCURSIVE POLITICIANS AGAIN THE COOK ISLANDS MR. ISITT MAKES CHARGES. Though yesterday's speeches, based more or less — mostly less — on the Financial Statement were mainly not thrillers, the rambling discourse had its times of liveliness, to the delight of an assembly bored for the greater part of the night. The principal contribution came from Mr. L. M. Isitt, who arraigned the administration of the Cook Islands. The Hon. Dr. Pomare promised a reply— deferred. The only speaker on the Government side was Mr. Mander (Marsden), who warmly praised the Ministry for its performances and its intentions. Incidentally he pleaded for an alliance of moderates of both parties against "extremists," and advocated an Elective Executive. PIECEMEAL LEGISLATION SOCIAL BETTERMENT OF THE PEOPLE. Mr. J. 0. Thompson complained that the Budget contained no constructive proposals, no attempt to grapple with the social betterment of the people, no proposals for national insurance, and the references to other important proposals were couched in cryptic terms. The "reform," they were going to get was evidently the " piecemeal legislation " of which the Government when m Opposition had so bitterly complained. When m Opposition, too, members had complained that the legislation of the Government of the day had driven capital out of New Zealand, and was injuring our great primary industries. If that was so, why had the Government not produced a policy to counteract that policy? On the subject of naval defence he expressed himself as opposed to the formation of a local New Zealand navy, while the country could not even find money for roads, bridges, and railways. As to the Legislative Council, he considered that the Government's proposals would tend to dominate the People's Chamber. He believed in an elective Upper House, but he did not believe in an Upper House that would dominate tho House elected by the people. The Government, he urged, should have taken the House into its confidence on the subject of the Bank of -New Zealand. For his own part he hoped the Govern ment would n«ver restore to the shareholders the full control of the bank. He hoped such a proposal would not be brought down at the end of the session and rushed through when everyone was tired. Hon. J. Allen : It won't be. Mr. Thomson expressed surprise that there was no mention of economy in the Budget. He held that a good deal of money should be saved in administration, and he condemned the Government for not having placed before the House' the report of the Public Service Commissioner, so as to let. them know what economies were being exercised. Again, the House had not before it the report of the High Commissioner's office, as to which a good deal of comment had been made. He contended that the defence- expenditure had got out of hand j there was "enormous waste" going on, and the Government had made one proposal to get rid of that expense. The Public Service Board was costing £9500 a year; it would soon cost £15,000 a year; and the cost might easily rise to £20,000 a year ,* and the Only return to the Government was that it had rid itself of any responsibility in making appointments to the Public Service. The Budget, he contended, did not even reveal the basis of the Government's policy, but it was evident that the Prime Minister had in many respects changed his mind. He believed that the Prime Minister was an individualist, but, seeing that State activity was in force, he was prepared to administer the system for the sake of keeping office. The Government had power to raise five millions of money this year, and he ventured to say they would have authority to borrow another five millions next year, but it was significant that when the Minister of Defence was in London he said that a great proportion of New Zealand's borrowed money was invested in dividend-paying concerns, and Sir Joseph Ward backed him vp } though only a few months ago the Opposition (now the Government) had railed against the Government on account of its borrowing. Before the General Election the Prime Minister had stated that the cost of living would never be reduced until taxation had been reduced, and he wanted to know why, after having been twelve months in office, the Prime Minister had not reduced the taxation. WHAT HAS THE GOVERNMENT DONE? MR. WITTY'S OPINIONS. Mr. G. Witty, after chiding the Government Benches for ( their comparative silence, submitted that, while there was no doubt that the country was prosperous, it was not due to any efforts of the Conservative Party, but to the way the Liberal Party had fostered the industries of the Dominion. If the country was prosperous, who were receiving the benefit? It was not the v/orking men, but it was the wealthy few. The wages of the workers had not riser— the Goveminent was doing nothing for the small man. The member for Riccarton was facetious at the expense of the Government, which* had boasted of the legislation it had brought down last session. Nothing whatever hart been done with the Native part of tho Land Bill last year. The Prime Minister promised then that what the Government would do in this connection would settl<* the difficulty of the Native land question once and for all. Not one single acre of Native land had beenr settled under the Bill of last year. A great many of the Acts of former Governments had been tinkered with. He felt sure that the Public Service Bill was one of the measures which, in future years, the Government would wish repealed. This measure had robbed the Civil servants of their liberty. There was far more political patronage now than ever before. "A CLEANER LIFE." It had been declared that the Government was going to live a cleaner life, yet the House had to set up two committees to whitewash the very gentlemen who had made these statements. The member for Riccarton a«ked : How did the Government get where it was? It was not by th© vote ol the people. It got there by falsehood, innuendo, and preaching blue ruin with regard to the country ; by preaching falsehood, and raising sectarian strife. Mr. Witty commented caustically with relation to "political rats" and the probable fate of the Conservative Party at the next election. Charges of extravagance were hurled at the Government. The Government had promised the country a "square deal" — it was a nice sort of a "square deal" it was giving the messengers in the Post Office and the teachers — the latter reference was primarily to the appointment of Mr. Royd Garlick, Numerous instances of .an pjleged travesty of the "square deal 1 ' were quoted. Touching on the land question. Mr. Witty aaked why, when the freehold wag grant-

ed, the Government did not see the na-> tional endowments? The Conservative Party's freehold was only a, bogus freehold. Land was the source of all wealth, and, as trustees of the people, the Government should see that the land got into the hands of the many, and not the few. It was alleged that since the present Government took charge, and had raised the rate of interest, many farmers had been forced to sell out. He knew of oases where the farmers, had had to pay 8 and 9 per cent, for large sums of money. In Opposition Mr. Massey had declared in favour of a Local Govern* 'ment Bill. How had he kept the promise? There was no doubt in the speaker's mind that the Government would shirk its duty by not daring to reduce the mortgage tax. EXTRA EXPENDITURE. Commenting on the extra expenditure to be incurred on the Defence scheme, the member for Riccarton asserted that the Education system of the Dominion (including the tea-chers) was being neglected for the Defence scheme. When it was stated that the, Land Tax had resulted in a sum of £80,000 being received, it was just as well to point out (said Mr. Witty) that there had been an increase of 2000 taxpayers last year, and land values had gone up. The figures quoted did not prove that the big men had been touched at all. There was no question but that under the present Government land settlement had been quite a failure — figures were given to support this allegation. , Pathetic enquiry was made for several important measures promised last year. Last year the Government had affirmed the principle of the betterment, but it had not carried it out. The very small rise offered them was an insult to the teachers. The Minister for Marine : Who landed them where they are? Mr. Witty: "You are doing nothing to land them out." DISAPPOINTED WITH THE BUDGET MR. SIDEY SPEAKS. When Mr. Witty sat down, the Speaker was putting the motion that he ehould leave the chair, when Mr. T. K. Sidey and Mt. F. Mander (Government) half rose simultaneously. It was left, after some hesitation, to Mr. Sidey to carry on the debate. Mr. Isitt: We shall get them up by and by. Make no mistake about that. Mr. Sidey expressed the opinion that the country was disappointed with the Budgpt. The member for Dunedin South complained that in the debate on the financial portion the very necessary distinction between the Revenue Account and the Capital Account had not been drawn by the Government members. Tho work of the past Government in assisting the Education system was praised. Contrary to what had been alleged from the Treasury benches, it must be admitted that the position was truly remarkable — this, that the Liberal Government after twenty-one years in, office was able to hand over the Consolidated Fund with an overflowing exchequer, and made it possible for the transference of £750,000 from the Consolidated Fund to the Public Works Fund. Added to this, the country was prosperous. The point of the criticism by the Opposition with regaTd to the expenditure was that the party in power was doing just what it condemned in other Governments. The Minister <5f Finance should have given more information concerning the Estimates than he had yet done. THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS MR. MANDER'S DEFENCE. Mr. F. Mander followed. He thought he would be able to show that the present Government had gone further in its one year of office than the Liberals had done in twenty years. The setting up of the Public Service Commissioners was a step in the right direction — it removed political patronage. The Teachers' Superannuation, too, had been placed on a sound footing, and it was proposed to put the Railway Superannuation on a sound actuarial basis, and to reform the Legislative Council. Electoral reform generally was promised. Mr. G. W. Russell: Electoral reform for the Lower House? Mr. Massey : Yes, the Lower House. Mr. Russell: This session? Mr. Massey : This session. Mr. Russell: What is the nature of the reform ? The member for Avon received no enlightenment on that point. The member for Marsden catalogued the various proposals of the Government. Discussing the breaking-up of large estates, it was (he thought) a /better thing for the Government to open up Native and Crown lands for set' tlement rather than put poor men on to the more expensive land. According to Mr. Mander, the Government had carried out sixteen of t the twenty- four progressive proposals it had put forward. Certainly, the present Government had belied the criticism of its opponents that it was retrogressive. . "A MILD AND GENTLE SOUL" THE COOK ISLANDS. It would be in harmony with the fitness of things, declared Mr. Isitt, that a mild and gentle soul on the Government side should be succeeded by a similar soul on the other side. The member for Marsden had, he said, flitted like a good-natured bee from flower to flower and from shrub to shrub in the Government. Passing from honeyed words, the member for Christchurch North referred to "a high-toned" cartoon in the Government's official pei-i-odical, and said he was shown as licking the great toe - of the Devil, who was labelled "Red Fed." Gradually he drifted to the beer question, and said ifc was nonsense to say that the liquor trade was identified with the Liberals or the Conservatives any more than that the large land monopolists were not i identified with the "Reform" party. Here he set out to show that tho land monopolists always supported the Conservatives. • The Prime Minister: What about Mr. Russell ? ; Mr. Isitt retorted that ho believed that Mr. Russell would exchange land with Mr. Campbell or with Sir Walter Buchanan. And possibly the t hon. member for Avon would be willing to swop with the Prime Minister. (Laughter.) SOME APPOINTMENTS. Mr. Isitt dealt at length with matters affecting the administration of the Cook Islands. Hp pressed tr» know the reason of the delay in the presentation of Judge M'Cormack'e report, which, he understood, had been m the hands of the Minister in November or December last, and which should have been submitted to the House long ago. How did it happen, he asked^ that during the three months interregnum between the departure ot' .Tudge M'Cormack and the appointment of Mr. Northcroft, a man who had compounded a felony in allowing h- man whn had robbed the Government, to escape to French territory was left in charge of the island. It did not spem nght and proper that this official should be left in supreme charge of the island. Still referring to the report above mentioned, the member for Christchurch Norki asked did tho House know how long the report hod been in possession of the Government. This report, "this Government — which is not secretive, which is Anxious to court the fullest investigation—had in its hands in November or December, 1912. (Previously the Prime Minister had informed the speaker the report would be made available.) A Member: You asked for the report? Mr. Isitt: "It was asked for months ago." He would tell the House something eiMj -i'lt if only in the last

few weeks that this report has been given to members of the Cabinet.' 1 Mr. Massey : You are wrong. Mr. Isitt maintained that the report should have been lain on tho tabta of the House before the Financial Debate. The Prime Minister evinced some hilarity. Dr. Pomare: You should talk about something you know of. Mr. Isitt retorted that he would show he knew more than the Minister in charge of the Islands. Mr. Northcroft left the Islands about the end of March? Dr. Pomare : You ought to know ; you know more about it than anybody else. Mr. Isitt drew the attention of the House to "the dignified way in which the Minister met the question." The member for Christchurch North, continuing, alleged difference of opinion between th© Minister and the Prime Minister with regard to the appointment. Mr. Northcroft (for whom the speaker had the highest regard) was a man perhaps of sixty-eight or sixty-nine. He was receiving a" pension of £330 per year, and he was chosen out of thirty applicants for the position at a salary ol I £700. A Mr. Ralfe was appointed his assistant at a large increase of salary on that of his predecessor. . Mr. Northcroft differed with a Sergeant Holmes, who subsequently resigned. What lie wanted to know was whether the Minister knew of Holmes's resignation before that official arrived in Wellington. Dr. Pomare : I will reply to you jater. Mr. Isitt submitted that the evils connected with the bush beer made in the Islands necessitated strong and reliable supervision. It was a task of the utmost ndifficulty. Was the official in charge of "the Native Police a man of that stamp? Did Df. Pomare make the appointment? Did he know anything about it? Was it not a fact that he knew nothing of the appointment '! He drew attention to a clause in the Budget referring to the Cook Islands. It was to this effect: "Strong measures are being taken by the newly-appointed Resident Commissioner to suppress all bush-beer drinking." Two charges of manslaughter and one of assault were mentioned as having taken place. The hon. member/narrated the details of one case of manslaughter in which a child was accidentally shot by a Native who had been drinking this bush beer. He wanted to know whether it was not a fact that the trial did not take place until after the occurrence was mentioned in a Wellington paper. Dr Pomare . That's wrong. Mr. Isitt: It took place some time after the accident then. He added he had heard on excellent authority that on a, recent Sunday nearly all the male inhabitants were drunk or under the influence of drink ; also that there was still a great amount of drinking going on. MR. PAYNE'S CRITICISM * Mr. Payne followed. His opening remarks, regarding his pledge to Mr. Massey, are reported elsewhere. He condemned the employer who had got rich quickly, declaring that the quicker they got rich the bigger "snobs" they were, and he expressed the opinion that it was Labour's own fault that it had not gone ahead more quickly. He declared that at the last election there had been a great deal of misrepresentation, both in regard to religion and social behaviour, and those yarns had been put about by adherehts of the party that wanted to get into power. If the Government was sincere in its desire to purify politics it could do so in the Electoral Amendment Bill that was to be brought down. Of the total debt of the Dominion £71,919,815 had been invested in different branches of State Socialism, and yet the Premier went about the country saying that he was against the Red Feds., 'against Socialism. All the Socialists asked was that what was being done in that direction should be continued, and! they also asked that it should be continued in the direction of establishing a State bank. The Socialist platform also included the initiative and referendum (including the question of Bible in schools), and a scheme of proportional representation so as to give all classes a quota in the House on the basis of the votes polled. He strongly deprecated the proposal to give banking privileges to any private company, and criticised details of defence expenditure, chiefly in regard to alleged bungles in connection with the provision of clothing by contractors. At 11.25 p.m. the deflate was adjourned, on the motion of Mr. Harris, until 2.30 to-day, and the House rose.